Month: December 2017
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How Sea of Thieves Progression System Works

Have you ever had dreams of sailing the open oceans with a couple of friends and going on an old school pirate adventure? Sea of Thieves is a new indie game that to lets you do just that. While this game can be played solo the developers are encouraging friends to play co-op. One of the biggest issues surrounding multiplayer experiences is friends who’ve spent a different amount of time with the game oftentimes have trouble playing together. Rare wants to rectify this issue with a progression system that works differently for Sea of Thieves.

Friends That Game Together, Stay Together

The ultimate goal of the game is to become a pirate legend, which can be accomplished by increasing reputation with each of the game’s factions. These trading companies offer quests, better known as voyages, for players to complete and earn a variety of awards. Some of these awards are gold, reputation gains, cosmetics, titles, and ranks.

You won’t earn items that put you on an uneven playing field though. This is to avoid a situation that would make it challenging to play with a friend that hasn’t put in the same amount of hours. Every voyage can be shared with any player so that they can be accomplished with a group. A team of players can also implement a democratic voting system so that everyone has a say in what they do next, this definitely comes in handy when playing with random matchmaking partners. Rare also pointed out that you can complete tasks on your own, but you still appear in a shared world with other players.

Sea of Thieves release date was finally revealed for both Xbox One and the PC. After a considerable amount of delays, the game will finally hit the virtual stores on March 20th, 2018. The game also offers cross-play so friends can share their experiences between the two platforms. Gigamax was recently invited to the game’s technical alpha so be sure to check back for some gameplay in the near future!

5 Worst Video Games and Blunders of 2017

With the year coming to a close and the Game of The Year announced, it’s time to take a look back at the games that didn’t make the cut. After an absolutely intense Game Awards this year, it can be hard to remember that not every game was a big hit. 2017 was a great year for gaming in some ways but also filled with some grand mistakes. Let’s find out what made the list of the worst video games and blunders of 2017.

The Stain on Star Wars Battlefront II

Star Wars Battlefront II may not have been a bad game but it did get off on the wrong foot. The community was in an uproar when they found out loot boxes offered advantages in the multiplayer. When a game is built around the multiplayer experience, offering an unfair advantage for money will strike a nerve with the gaming community.

These were not your normal Overwatch cosmetic loot boxes, these were much more similar to those found in Free to Play games. Gamers could pay their way to the top, absolutely decimating anyone who refused to participate in EA’s scheme. EA held an AMA with the Reddit community to address concerns about the upcoming title. They were quickly overwhelmed by the anger the community expressed about the loot box system. Ignoring questions and inevitably shutting the microtransactions down the day of release, this game is now stained with this shameless money grab.

Absolver

This was a game that the Gigamax crew was looking forward to for quite some time. A melee based, online fighter where the player can create their own unique combos caught the eye of gamers everywhere. It sounded like it would be an original and exciting fighter with “Dungeon crawling elements” and deliver an expansive online experience. However, after the impressively short story was over, the only thing left to do was run around the astonishing small map and get punched and kicked to collect new moves, collecting rare masks and not much else. Of course, there was a 1v1 online matchmaking experience but that was even lackluster. Even though the developers built this game up in a big way, it quickly fell flat on its face. This is the epitome of a blunder.

Scalebound

It’s always upsetting when a game gets canceled. What’s even more upsetting is when the game was promoted with all the might Microsoft Studios had to offer. This game was making its rounds throughout the game community and people were pumped to ride through an amazing world on top of a gigantic dragon. The world was distraught when word broke that this fantastic adventure would never reach stores.

Making headlines in May, Microsoft Studios made the decision public stating “After careful deliberation, Microsoft Studios has come to the decision to end production for Scalebound,” a representative told Polygon. When a game makes such impressive rounds throughout the world of gaming media and then get dropped flat on its face, it makes the list of top gaming blunders of 2017.

Destiny 2

Bungie made a statement with the first Destiny game. It rocked the world and was a monumental success right out of the gate. Making claims that it would be a 10-year game, that was quickly proved false after the announcement of their second installment, Destiny 2.

Destiny 2 was supposed to address all the shortcomings gamers complained about in the first game. But after gamers worked their way through an improved campaign, things started to go downhill. With the release of the latest DLC, gamers that previously had access to content without any additional purchases found themselves locked out, forced to purchase the DLC to once again enter the prestige raid. Lackluster post-release support, shallow content, and a horde of disappointed gamers earned Destiny 2 a spot on this list.

Friday the 13th the Game

Friday the 13th The Game was not a bad game at heart. The Gigamax crew poured hours and hours into this unique indie game, granted a lot of that time was spent waiting for the servers to work. Plagued with server issues, random crashes, and simply being broken from time to time these issues absolutely decimated the value of this imaginative experience.

Even though the developer, Gun Media went out on a limb to build the game, these issues hurt the overall game in a big way. Gamebreaking bugs, unreliable servers, and missteps along the way left a bad taste in gamers mouths. It’s tough out there for an indie developer, hopefully, these issues won’t hurt any future games Gun Media releases.

What do you think should have made the worst video games and blunders of 2017? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter and Facebook. We want to hear from you!

Capcom Announces 6 New Characters for Street Fighter 5

Capcom officially revealed six new fighters for their ultra-popular brawler, Street Fighter 5, at the end of Capcom Cup 2017. The additional cast of characters mixes a few old time fan favorites with two brand-new fighters for the series.

Fans of the Alpha series will recognize Sakura and Cody, where both characters made their debut. Old time street fighter fans will also be excited to hear that Sagat and Blanka, who have been around since Street Fighter 2 will be making their way into the fish installment of the game. The game will be receiving two new characters, G, a stately looking bearded gentleman wearing a tophat that would make Abraham Lincoln blush and Falke, the second new female fighter who has a close connection to Ed.

Season 3 Details and More

All six characters are a part of Street Fighter 5’s Season 3 content. The announcement shocked fans at the event. Typically Capcom has shown off new fighters one character at a time but this time it was different.

Sakura will make her debut on January 16, 2018, when the recently announced Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition comes out. The new fighter also comes with her Story, Battle, and Nostalgic costumes. She also arrives with a new stage, the Kasugano Residence which is based on her Alpha 2 stage. Want to see both the stage and Sakura in action? Check out the reveal trailer above!

While Capcom has yet to reveal release dates for the rest of the characters, they did show them off in a new flashy cinematic trailer.

Also during Capcom Cup, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection was revealed. It contains twelve games from across the series, including the original Street Fighter, Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter 3: Third Strike, and Street Fighter Alpha 3. Fans can expect this collection to arrive in May 2018 for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC.

Capcom Cup was a big event for Street Fighter fans. Not only did they receive news that they were getting six new fighters for the game’s most recent installment but a new collection of the series’ biggest hits. If you recently stopped playing Street Fighter 5 now is the perfect time to dust off those moves and get ready to take on friends with a whole new set of characters.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Unfortunate Story of Fan Service

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has delivered dozens of hours of excitement so far and there’s still a ton to go. Even with some of the sub-par reviews this game received because of the fan service, it’s still a quality experience. It shouldn’t turn people away if they’re looking for a great, classic feeling JRPG. Both Gigs and Mack are engrossed in the story and gameplay, glued to the Nintendo Switch with no chance of slowing up soon.

The Nintendo Switch has been killing it with games this year. Developers, publishers, and gamers alike are surprised about its success. Even with the reviewers taking off points, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is still a grand experience any JRPG fan can enjoy.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – The Unfortunate Story of Fan Service

Walking through this gigantic game, the Gigamax crew is blown away by the story. Pulling every trope from the book of anime tropes, they somehow feel right at home. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 embraced many more anime elements when compared to the previous series. This kind of art style and narrative direction are right up Gigs and Macks alley.

Again, this game holds true to many of the JRPG elements that make the genre so great but oftentimes also keeps people at bay. There is very little hold handing and it’s relatively text-heavy. If these kind of games are for you, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 might be worth considering.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit, Gigamax Games! Be sure to keep checking back for new content Monday – Friday!

The Game Awards 2017 GOTY: Skip The Fluff

This past Thursday marked another tremendous return of The Game Awards 2017. Dubbed the Oscars of the gaming world, this international conference brings together the entire gaming community to reflect on the past year and all the amazing games released in 2017.

We watched the entire presentation so you didn’t have to and took all the most exciting announcements from The Game Awards and got right to the point. Those that want to watch it for themselves can find the full event at the bottom of this page.

Scroll down for the Game of The Year Winner!

Everyone had their eyes on The Game Awards 2017 to see which games will be recognized and those that ended up slipping through the cracks. Streamed live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles in 4K Ultra HD format, it celebrates the best games, eSports and members of the gaming community. This is a global event which includes localized versions reaching Chinese, South Korean, Brazilian, Russian, Japanese and other broadcasts from nations around the world.

2017 was an intense year for gamers everywhere. People were speculating what game would take home the coveted Game of The Year (GOTY) award. It was incredibly difficult to guess the winner with so many amazing games but the nominees included; PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Persona 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, Super Mario Odyssey, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Be sure to check back on GigamaxGames.com as the crew dissects the entire event throughout the month.

Below you will find the Game of The Year Winner and a few other highlights from this epic event.

Game Of The Year Winner | The Game Awards 2017!

Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild

Nintendo rocked the nominees this year but Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild took home the title of Game of The Year 2017 winner. Well deserved, this is a Nintendo masterpiece and was a win for the legendary game company. This was an unbelievable year for the world of gaming and proves the future is bright for the gaming industry as a whole.

The Game Awards 2017 Awards

Best Music

Nier Automata – Platinum Games

Best Narrative

What Remains of Edith Finch – Giant Sparrow

Best Action Game

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus – MachineGames

Best Art Direction

Cuphead – Studio MDHR – Nominated for a total of 5 awards this year.

Best Debut Indie Game & Best Indie Game

Cuphead – Studio MDHR

Best Role-Playing Game

Persona 5 – Atlus, P Studio

Best Strategy Game

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle – Ubisoft

Most Anticipated Game

The Last of Us Part 2 – Naughty Dog

Best Family Game

Super Mario Odyssey – Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development

Game for Impact

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – Ninja Theory

Best eSports Team

Cloud9

Best eSports Player

FAKER

Best Ongoing Game & Best eSports Game

Overwatch – Blizzard

Best Student Game

Level Squared

Best Performance

Melina Juergens – Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Best Game Direction & Best Action Adventure Game

Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild – Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development

Industry Icon

Carol Shaw

This inspiring individual was the first woman to get her name on a game box. It was an age where one person created an entire game, from graphics, user interface, and coding, she did it all. If you haven’t heard of this pioneer of gaming, please take the time to click this link to her wiki page and learn a little more about this spectacular individual.

World Premiere Highlights

Accounting Plus – 2018

Co-creator of Rick and Morty, Justin Roiland is bringing a brand new game to the world on December 19th. This whacky adventure holds true to the craziness that is Rick and Morty without being a Rick and Morty game. This VR experience is the first title from the new studio, Squanchtendo. Partnered with Tanya Watson, they teamed up the indie study Crows Crows Crows which takes a unique approach to the notoriously dull word of accounting.

In The Valley of The Gods – 2019

From the creators of Firewatch, this adventure game looks like it takes place in Egypt where the two heroines take on the impressive challenge of exploring the long-abandoned tombs. Using technology that looks like it’s straight out of the early 19th century, ‘In The Valley of The Gods’ caught the attention of the world with their brief preview at this year’s award show.

Fade to Silence – 12/14/17 PC and “2018 all next-gen consoles”

Coming very soon, the developer showed off just exclusively in-game footage. This survival game looks as though it’s based in a post-apocalyptic world where the hero battles the elements to survive. This game snuck up on the community and seems like it’s sure to deliver unbelievable thrills.

This critically acclaimed franchise is coming to the Nintendo Switch in its entirely. 1, 2, and 3 will all be available on Nintendo’s newest console. The president of Nintendo America showed up in person to announce the title and left fans feeling as though they once again poured their heart and soul into the newest addition to the Bayonetta universe.

Death Stranding

Kojima Productions announces Death Stranding is back. With an extended trailer, it offered a little more background into the story behind Death Stranding. More detailed than their original trailer it was still extremely vague but looked incredibly interesting.

Witchfire

The creators of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Bulletstorm bring the world, ‘Witchfire’. With a short preview, there wasn’t much information offered but the action-packed trailer caught the Gigamax crew’s eye.

Dreams – 2018

This trippy trailer looked bright and colorful. The beautiful visuals and an exquisite soundtrack caught the world’s attention. Stay tuned for more information as details begin to emerge.

PUBG Desert Map – Miramar – Available Tonight

Available tonight on the test servers, the new desert map for PUBG the world has been waiting for has been officially announced. The head of PUBG Corp. made the announcement in person on The Game Awards stage.

Work Together or Die Together (GTFO)– 2017 (Maybe)

From the designer of Payday and Payday 2, a brand new first-person shooter developed by 10 Chambers has been announced to the world. Intense combat and relying heavily on teamwork along with puzzle-solving, GTFO being released by a brand new indie studio. From the looks of it, you would have never guessed an indie team of 10 put this game together.

Additional Highlights

Zelda: Breath of The Wild | The Champions’ Ballad – DLC Pack 2 | AVAILABLE NOW

Besides the grand opening and teaser of a new weapon and Link riding a motorcycle named “The Master Cycle Zero”, there wasn’t too much information offered but there’s a plus. Developers let the gaming community know that it is available now. This DLC looks spectacular and the Gigamax crew cannot wait to spend countless hours exploring all of the new content this DLC is sure to bring.

Soulcalibur VI

One question, do your souls still burn? The world welcomes back this classic fighter from Bandai Namco Entertainment and the crowd lost their minds when the news broke. New gaming platforms allowed the developers to bring an entirely new level of graphics and environmental detail that was never before seen in a Soulcalibur game. This is high on the must play list for the Gigamax crew.

Fortnite 50v50 Mode

Available right now, this unique game mode is truly something unique. Pitting 50 players against another team of 50 will surely bring an incredible experience. Building, shooting and working as a gigantic team is an exciting prospect.

Flash Sale Celebration

In celebration of the award ceremony, The Game Awards 2017 is hosting a sale on Xbox Live, Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, and Steam. This year they’re teaming up with eBay and offering exclusive deals on gaming hardware and gear. Also, there’s still time to enter The Game Awards 2017 ULTIMATE GIVEAWAY! [Hyperlink: https://wyng.com/campaign/831410]

Watch The Full Event

This years game award was actually much less awkward than expected. With hysterical jokes, mind-blowing music performances, and spectacular visuals, this is not an event to miss.

Watch This Craziness from The Game Awards 2017…

There was so much incredible content announced at The Game Awards 2017 that this article won’t be able to cover it all. Be sure to check back on GigamaxGames.com as the crew breaks down the entire event throughout the rest of December as they break down the entire event and offer in-depth insights into all the major announcements. Follow Gigamax Games on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with the latest content.

Rainbow Six Siege: Operation White Noise Now Available

Rainbow Six Siege released its next big expansion leaving players with a lot to look forward to the next time they play. This popular first-person shooter recently celebrated its two year anniversary and Ubisoft surprised fans with new content over the course of 2017. Now with Operation White Noise, fans can get excited for some new operators, a brand new map, and a variety of other updates for the Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

The biggest additions to White Noise are the new playable characters, better known as operators. This time around the update is modeled after South Korean Special Forces, the 707th Special Mission Battalion. First, there’s Dokkaebi, who is an attacker that has a logic bomb for her unique gear, allowing players to hacks enemies equipment and reveal their position with a loud noise. Next, their is Vigil, a defender with access to a device called the Electric Rendering Cloak, or ERC-7, which makes the operator invisible to enemy cameras. Finally, much like the last expansion players are getting an operator from the canceled Poland expansion. Zofia Bosak is equipped with the KS79 Lifeline, a grenade launcher that can fire explosive and concussive rounds.

Typical Ubisoft

This expansion follows the typical Rainbow Six formula where season pass holders get the characters for free, with everyone else able to use in-game credits to purchase the operators on December 12th. The piece of content everyone gets for free is the new map Mok Myeok Tower. This arena is set near the top of a skyscraper observation tower, which has a multitude of rooms to fight in and focuses on the map’s vertical landscape.

Ubisoft Improves The Core Game

Other than all the new content, Ubisoft is making some adjustments to the core of the game with the update. One of these improvements is a new synchronization logic for some projectiles with a primary focus on grenades. This is intended to stop situations where a grenade suddenly ends up in a place it shouldn’t. For example, right in front of the throwers face. Additionally, grenade throws are affected by movement, now throwing a grenade while running will cause the explosive to travel further.

Operation White Noise also increased the fire rate of handguns and new UI elements have been added to help track buffs and debuffs. Of course, a host of new bug fixes have been added that repair issues with specific maps, weapons, and operators. If you’d like to see the full patch notes you can find them here and for more info on Rainbow Six Siege be sure to check back with GigamaxGames.com!

DayZ Leaves PC Early Access Next Year

After years of waiting DayZ supporters will finally be able to see the survival game outside of its early access program. The developer of the title, Bohemia, detailed in a recent blog post that 2018 would be the most exciting year for the indie game yet. DayZ is also set to hit consoles next year along with its full release, but the developer has been known for making ambitious statements that don’t always come to fruition.

DayZ Leans on Microsoft

Unfortunately, it seems like the console version of the game will only be making its way to the Xbox One. In the blog post, Bohemia writes “committed to bringing DayZ to Xbox, where we have a large community of gamers patiently (very patiently!) waiting for a truly hardcore online survival game.” (http://bit.ly/2j1mlO5) The post only ever mentions Xbox, despite the game initially being announced for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

DayZ had first launched on Steam Early Access in December of 2013. Although this indie hit was unfinished, it still sold over 3 million copies at its reasonable price point of $35. Bohemia took a big hit in 2014 when the creator of DayZ, Dean Hall, left the studio in 2014 to go start his own studio in New Zealand.

DayZ’s Day’s As a Beta Finally Come To An End

DayZ’s PC beta will finally end in 2018, but fans are wary of this news considering this is not the first time the studio made this claim. Even though this time around the game’s lead producer, Eugene Harton, said “We tried to get it done sooner, but it’s going to be 2018 folks. Both the BETA update and any further 0.63 updates, up to 1.0, will happen in 2018, which is shaping up to be one of the most important years for DayZ,” (http://bit.ly/2j1mlO5) Seemingly acknowledging that they messed up and reassuring players it’s going to happen this time around.

The 1.0 version of the game doesn’t mean the end of Bohemia’s support though. Bohemia will be treating the game as a platform for continuous updates that according to Harton and will be supported for “as long as it’s viable.” He also said that the modding community will play a big role in improving and updating the game as time goes on.

It is exciting to see this survival game finally make it out of the early access hole it has been caught in for almost 6 years. Hopefully, this time around players will actually get to see the game hit that golden 1.0 mark that has long eluded DayZ. We’ll be keeping a close eye on DayZ’s transition to full release so be sure to check back for more details as they become available!

Skyrim has been around for years. Since 2011 people have been infatuated with this timeless adventure. Releasing on nearly every console since its initial release and now coming to the Nintendo Switch and Playstation VR, it’s calling for a revisit. Gigamax Games will begin new adventures and show off hidden secrets as they work through all these exciting journeys.

This will be the Let’s Play and Skyrim information hub as this Elder Scrolls adventure continues to expand. Some people can’t justify repurchasing a game they’ve been playing for over six years so Gigamax Games is here to show what it has to offer.

Skyrim Playlist on YouTube | Gigamax Games

Be sure to stick around for Articles surrounding the latest Skyrim information and future Elder Scrolls game information as it continues to develop.

Skyrim is one one of the Gigamax crew favorite games. Gigs is the resident Skyrim pro, knowing the in’s and out’s with over 400 hours gameplay time and counting. Mack has been living in World of Warcraft since 2011 and is, believe it or not, playing the game for the very first time. These two perspectives add an interesting dynamic to Gigamaxs’ view on this incredible world. Whatever your experience with the classic game may be, the playlist above is sure to deliver a few laughs and more than a couple surprises. Hope you enjoy!

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by the Gigamax Skyrim – Let’s Play Page. All the latest videos will be automatically added to this page making it easy to keep up. For a game that is six years old, there is still a surprising amount of attention on this classic game.

Do you know what December game releases your going to buy in time for that long holiday break? NO?! That’s alright, Gigamax has your back. It can be hard to keep up with all the intense holiday planning and latest video game news, that’s why we’ve taken the liberty of curating the perfect list of December game releases. Whether you’re buying them as presents or for yourself, this is everything you’ll need to keep your eye on.

December Game Releases

Xenoblade Chronicles 2

The world of Alrest has never been less at rest! This latest installment of the Xenoblade series follows the adventure of Rex after he is magically bonded with the humanoid weapon, Pyra. This “blade” is one of the many sentient weapons our hero makes friends with along the journey. One of Nintendo’s biggest releases this year, it is sure to please. If you enjoy JRPG’s and hours of quests, definitely don’t pass this title up.

Fallout 4 VR

Bethesda claims they don’t want to set the world on fire, but one can argue this release will figuratively do that. Enter the wasteland in the most personal way available. This reskinned journey takes down the barrier and puts you in the shoes of the sole survivor. Fallout 4 VR is sure to please any fan of this incredible series but it isn’t our fault if seeing a Deathclaw gives you an actual heart attack.

Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds

It’s finally time for console players to experience this gaming phenomenon! PUBG is making its way to the Xbox and opens up chicken dinners to a whole new community. This game started a revolution of “Battle Royale” simulators and its player base has literally not stopped growing since it came out. This game is the perfect addition to any fan of FPS or third person shooters list, but remember once you’re on the battleground the only rule is survival… And a whole list of other nonsense.